Jim Bunning: “4 years ago almost to the day, I spoke against and voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement. Unfortunately…”

“4 years ago almost to the day, I spoke against and voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement. Unfortunately, time has proven that NAFTA was wrong for America, and by attempting to expand it today, we are only compounding that mistake. How many more jobs do we have to lose until we wake up and smell the Caribbean coffee? If you voted against the NAFTA or you are not happy with the effects that NAFTA has had on America, then do not vote today to expand it and for the CBI countries. Before you vote on this issue, ask yourself three simple questions: Are there any benefits to the American worker in extending NAFTA to the CBI countries? The answer is ``no''. Will extending the NAFTA to Caribbean countries increase American jobs? The answer is no. Will it cost U.S. jobs? The answer is ``yes''. Extending the NAFTA to Central American countries will only cost more hard-working Americans good-paying jobs. In fact, just last month a major textile manufacturer in my State announced that they were cutting 800 jobs from their Campbellsville and Jamestown, KY plants and moving them south of the border. However, instead of saying adios to these jobs, we should be doing all that we can to protect them and keep them in places like Campbellsville and Jamestown, KY. NAFTA was a mistake, the wrong treaty at the wrong time. It is too late to stop NAFTA, but it is not too late to limit the damage.”